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Anonymous wrote:

Hi, guys —

  • What is the Vatican's position on a man marrying a transman?

A transman is someone who is biologically a female, but identifies as a male. They usually have female sexual organs that are intact and functional and are capable of the act of sexual intercourse.

  • What would be the Church's position on a man who marries a transman considering she is technically heterosexual and is open to life?

Anonymous

  { What is the Vatican's position on a man marrying a transman? }

Paul replied:

Dear Anonymous,

The Church teaches that the human person is a body-soul composite and the soul is the form of the body.

This would mean the body and all its organs is the physical expression of the soul, hence the transsexual notion of being one sex on the outside and another sex on the inside is foreign to Christian thought and is literally impossible. One may feel certain things but that doesn't mean they are them. Feelings can easily become disordered.

Having said that, it is not advisable to marry someone that has:

  1. such a disordered desire or orientation, and
  2. chooses to foster it by cross-dressing and cross-acting, and
  3. is unable or unwilling to see their desire as objectively disordered.

You are correct that such a female can still procreate but their psyche may not be ready or mature enough for marriage.

Peace,

Paul

Bob replied:

Dear friend,

I am not speaking from an official document, but my presumption is that the marriage would not be approved because one of the parties, in effect, is practicing homosexuality (at least the true male who is partnering with another male by outward appearances.) This would be advocating a scandalous relationship and appear to condone homosexual behavior even if it is technically or biologically compatible.

Marriage by the Church's definition is between a man and a woman. Anything that obscures that would be cause for scandal — which is any phenomenon which may lead others into sin.

So in short, Marriage is more than simple biology, it is a sacrament meant to give witness to Christ's love for His Bride, the Church. Man and woman symbolize this Christian love in Marriage, so even the appearance of man and man would be scandalous.

Peace in Christ,

Bob Kirby

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